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Look after yourself this heart month

23 February 2016

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February is National Heart Month so Northamptonshire County Council is reminding eligible people to make sure they don’t miss the opportunity to check up on their own heart health with a free NHS health check.

What is a health check?

Everyone is at risk of developing heart disease. The good news is that early detection can often prevent it – and health checks are the perfect opportunity to check that some of the body’s most important systems are all running smoothly.

The tests also look for other conditions such as stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and some forms of dementia – all of which can often be prevented.

Each session lasts around 20 to 30 minutes and during this time blood pressure, cholesterol and weight will all be checked. People will also be asked some simple questions about their family history and any medication they are taking. After the health check they will be taken through the results and be given personalised advice on how to lower any risks and stay healthy.

Who is eligible?

Health checks are available to most people aged between 40 and 74, unless they have an existing vascular condition which is already being taken care of by their GP.

Anyone interested in getting a free health check can check online to see if they are eligible. They can also contact their GP surgery for more information.

Councillor Robin Brown, Northamptonshire County Council cabinet member for public health and wellbeing said: “Even if you are feeling fit and well, its worth getting checked over to lower the risk of certain conditions developing in the future. It takes less than half an hour to have the health check, and is a really easy way to make a difference to your health and wellbeing.”

A revised recommendation for the future of the library service will be discussed today (Tuesday) by Northamptonshire County Council’s Cabinet after the authority’s auditors advised it to reconsider its proposed budget for 2018/19.